Traction-engine.



N. A. LYLE.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1UNEZ9. 191s.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I- Elma'wtox N. A. LYLE.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1915.

1,171,732.. Patented Feb. 15, 1 9 16 SHEETSSHEET 2- N. A. LYLE.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 19 15.

1,171,732. Patented Feb. 15,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Swan to N. A. LYLE.

TRACTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1915.

1,171 ,732, Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

NOAH A. LYLE, F BANCROFT, IDAHO.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Application filedJ'une 29,1915. Serial No. 36,982. a

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NOAH A. LYLE, a itizen ofthe United States, residing at Bancroft, in the county of Bannock andState of Idaho, have invented new and useful 'Im-.

provements in Traction-Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

. This invention relates to traction engines,

and it has for its object to produce a tractor.

of simple and improved construction which will be particularly adaptedfor thepurpose of pushing agricultural machines, such as harvesters andheaders thatrequire to be pushed over the field.

A further object of the invention is to producea tractor of thecharacter described which will be equipped with simple and effectivemeans for steering the same and .the machine pushed thereby, and alsofor turning sharp corners when'required.

A'further object of the invention is to produce a machine of thecharacter .described which will be equipped with a push barand astabilizer and with steering gear of simple and improved construction. I

With these and other ends in view which will'readily appear as thenature of the inl vention is better understood, the same consists in theimproved construction and combination and arrangement of parts whichwill be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in theclaims. I

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhiblted,

but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theclaims may .be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a tractor constructedin accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation with partsof the frame or casing broken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. of themachine as seen from the opposite'side to Fig. 2, parts of the frame orcasing being also broken away. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the machineshowing the different positions occupied in turning a sharp corner. Fig.5 is a sectional view taken on a 5 in Fig. 3.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted bylike'characters of reference;

The frame of the improved tra-ctoris provided with bearings 16 for theaxle 17 the line-j tion to the worm gear37, or for placing one or. theother of the'friction disks 41 in engagement with the friction wheel 42for'thehaving the ground wheels 18, said ground wheels being capable ofbeing connected with the axle for rotation therewith by means offriction clutches 19 which are in dependently operable by hand levers 20WhlCh are suitably connected therewith. -Oneor both of said groundwheels may thus be disconnected from the axle for convenience in turningor otherwise manipulating the machine. The wheels are provided withoverhanging caps or rims 21 forming housings or protectors to preventdirt from the mechanism of the friction entering clutches.

The frame or casing15 supports an internal combustion motor 22 ofconventional construction having a crank shaft 23 equipped wlth astartm'g' crank 24. For'contro'lling the engine a speed lever 25' andsuitable connections are provided. The driven shaft .23 carries afriction wheel 26 engaging a friction disk 27 ona counter shaft 28, saidfriction disk being controlled by a lever 29. It will be understoodthatthe several controlling levers are to be mounted in positionconvenient to the operator whose seat is supported on the frame of themachine. Theshaft 28 carrying the friction disk 27 is connected by atrain of gears 30 with the axle 17 to which rotarymotion will thus betrans:

mitted." I

The frame of the machine supports ac'i'rc'ular top member 31 having acircumferem' tial annular groove 32. Guided in the groove 32 is a chain33 which is also trained over a sprocket wheel 34 on a shaft 35 which ismounted for rotation in brackets 36 that are rigidly connected with theframe structure. The shaft 35 carries a worm gear 37 meshing with a worm38 on a shaft 39, the

latter being equipped .with a sleeve 40 carrying friction disks 41,either one of which may be placed in engagement with a friction wheel 42on a driven shaft 43 which receives motion from the engine shaft 23through the medium ofintermeshing bevel gears 44. A hand lever 45 andsuitable connections are employed for adjusting" the sleeve 40 carryingthe friction disks-'41 to a neutral 1 position with respect to. thefriction wheel 42, thereby interrupting transmission of mo"- purpose oftransmitting motion in the desired direction tojthe worm gear.

The topmember 31 is provided with a bracket 46 affording a bearing forone end of a king bolt 47 which extends centrally through the top member31 and onwhich two radial arms, namely, the push arm 48 and thestabilizer arm 49 are pivotally mounted, said arms-being pressed in adownthe king said guide lug, which latter extends through a slot 56 inthe head 51' in engagement with the annular groove 32 of the top member31. Thehead 51 has a second recess 56 wherein is mounted a vertical rodor shaft 57 carrying a sleeve 58 with which the two ends of thesteering-chain 33 are connected. It will be seen that owing to. theconstruction described, the push arm 48 is capable .of such rockingmotion with respect-to the frame structure of the machine aswill becaused by irregularities in the-surface of the ground. over which thetractor and the machine pushed thereby may happen to. pass, all

shocks beingjtakenup by the shock absorbingspr'ingsbt), 5land 55, and itbeing, of course,'1inderstood that 'the pivotal connection .of the push'arm with the king bolt is thereby throwing the frictlon transmission I.suifieiently'loose to permit" such limitedrocking movement. v

t The stabilizer arm provided head 58 having-a recess 59wherein ism'ount- 35- ed a, lug or slide 60.,- said slide) being: inter; posedbetween'two springs 61, 62 ;and"ex-;J

tending through a slot 63in engagement with; the annularlgroovej 32 forthe purpose of'permitting rocking movementof the staibilizing arm withrespect tothe frame in "the same manner-as the push arm previouslydescribed. The arm 49e'xtends beyond the.

head 58 and is'provided with a'downwardly. .'extendingleg. 63 reinforcedby a brace -64 and carrying "at its lower end a ground engaging casterwheel 65 to assist'in guiding the machine. The push arm 48 is connected.

by bolts or clips 66-with the push bar 67 of the machine "that isto bepushed, said-push 50 bar being connected with the frame of such.

machine which is indicated at .68 by a fle'xi I ble' joint'69'; Bracerods? .0 connect the joint 6 9. with the stabilizing device adjacent to;thenpper and lower ends of the limb 63. A.

brace 71 connects the stabilizingarm49 with;

- the pushlarm 48, thus maintaining saidarms at substantially a-right,angle to one another;

Rivotally comediad With-thel-frame' of the machine is a lug jor arm..72,- saidfli'ig being disposed the path of the-sateen farm iQwhen the-.nachineisturnedr:A'smtable- I I p y 4.; In" a. push'ftractor; awheelsupported connection is provided, as seen at .73, be

tween the lug or arm- 72 andthe'sleevedo the friction d s ks'l, wherebywhen .2 ss aga d,:byfi estabflemci h a? ng b lt tn ihsa r m s "the-top'memben a'hrscket on the .top.,.mem.

the sleeve will be moved along the shaft 39 until the disks 41 areplaced in a neutral 1 tains. The worm; 38- and the worm gear. 37

constitute a locking device, whereby the steering mechanism will beretained in adjusted 1 position, thereby-.preventing' the groundwheelsfromswerving from the course in wh ch they aredirected. Bymanipulating the. steering lever motion in'any direction may betransmitted tothe worm gear 37 on the. shaft 35 carrying'thcsprocketwheel-44 whereby the 011311133 is driven,thereby cansmg the entire frameof the machine 1 to be. turnedabout the axis of the king bolt 47,;the

push arm, as well'as thestabiliz ing device, 7

being maintained in position by being con-1 'nected with the machinethat is being pushed b y the tractor; ,In turning' square cornersfatjthe .end of the field or in the road the frame of the machine willv makea quarter-turnon the completion ofwhich the lug or lever arm 9.

72 will be-engaged by the. stabilizingarm,

sionchain: 33'. Theimproved?machine is;

simple in" construction, easily. manipulated and capable" of beingmanufactured at. a

moderate expense;

- -H ,vi 1' 1g -thus described the i virtiomwhat is..-claimed as-new, I,

1. In a-pus'h tractor a wheel supported.

motor driven frame having a top" member, a:

-king bolt fex'tendil'igaxially through} said top, member, and two armspivoted on the kin bolt, said arms"const1tuting, -respec-x motordrivenframehaving a top member,- .a

king bolt extending" axially througl r"said.

stabilizing bar having a downwardly 61 "tending liinb anda casterwheelcarried thereby.

her, .-a king "bolt extending axially through said top "'ni'ember; apushbar an'd;,a-'stabi l1zing bar pivoted'ontheking bolt, and springs ing:bail.

'p'fi t 'i bt-..iw e1 s ppo e motor propelled frame 1 havingja' 1 top.mem' above. and belowsaid pushbar and stabi1 iz.-'

ti v e ,apush bar and a stabilizing'barl ,19-

2."'.In a pushtractor; a --fvvhee1g supported ber supporting the upperend of the king bolt, springs on the king bolt between the bracket'andthe top member, and a push bar and a stabilizing bar pivoted on the kingbolt between the springs.

In a push tractor, a wheel supported motor propelled frame having acircular top member provided with an annular groove, a king boltextending axially through the top member, arms pivoted on the king boltand constituting, respectively, a push bar and a stabilizing bar, thelatter having a downwardly extending limb carrying a ground engagingcaster wheel, a brace connecting the arms and maintaining them inangular relation,slidable resiliently supported lugs connected with therespective arms and engaging the annular groove in the top member, achain guided in the annular groove and having its ends connected withone of the arms, a vertical shaft supported for rotation on the frameand carrying a driving sprocket over which the chain is guided, andmeans for driving the sprocket carrying shaft including a worm gear.

(3. In a push tractor, a wheel supported motor propelled frame having acircular top member provided with an annular groove, a king boltextending axially through the top member, arms pivoted-on the king boltand constituting, respectively, a push bar and a stabilizing bar, thelatter having a downwardly extending limb carrying a ground engagingcaster wheel, a brace connecting the arms and maintaining them inangular relation, slidable resiliently sup ported lugs connected withthe respective arms and engaging the annular groove in the top member, achain guided in the annular groove and having its ends connected withone of the arms, a vertical shaft supported for rotation on the frameand carrying a driving sprocket over which the chain is guided, andmeans for driving the sprocket carrying shaft including a worm gear andmeans for transmitting motion-to said worm gear from the propulsionmotor.

7. In a push tractor, a wheel supported motor propelled frame having acircular top member provided with a circumferential groove, a king boltextending axially through the top member, arms pivoted on the king bolt,said arms constituting, respectively, a propulsion bar and a'stabilizingbar, the latter having a downwardly extending limb carrying a groundengaging caster wheel, means for connecting the arms and spacing themapart in angular relation, a member guided on one of the arms forvertical slidable movement, a steering chain casterwheel, means forconnecting thearms and spacing them apart 'in angular relation,

a member guided on one of thearms for vertical slidable movement, asteering chain guided in the circumferential groove of the top memberand having its ends connected with the vertically slidable member, meansactuated by the propulsion motor for driving the chain, means forreversing the driving motion, and means for automatically interruptingthe transmission of motion to the steering chain.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NOAH A. LYLE.

Witnesses;

B. L. CHIsM, JOHN 11.. BAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.."

